Low-lift pump



C. GARLAND Oct. 4, 1960 LOW-LIFT PUMP Filed July 1, 1958 lf'iarlzsGwrbwd aw a U fitt d LOW-LIFT PUMP Filed July 1, 1958, Ser. No. 745,916

3 Claims. (Cl. 103-1) This invention pertains to pumps, more especiallyto a low-lift pump which is primarily designed for use in pumping bilgewater from a small boat, although it is of more general utility, thepresent invention constituting an improvement upon the pump disclosed inthe copending application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 639,437, nowabandoned, filed February 11, 1957, by Charles Garland.

The pump disclosed in said application, and which is employed in thepractice of a novel method of pumping (which is claimed in saidapplication) consists of a single length of tubing, a portion at leastof which is flexible, but having a rigid delivery nozzle at one end, andis completely devoid of valves or other movable internal parts.- Thepresent invention concerns a pump of the same general type as that firstabove referred to, and the method of using it is substantially theequivalent of that which is claimed in the aforesaid co-pendingapplication. However, the priming of a pump, such as that above referredto, requires a certain degree of skill, although it is entirelypractical once such skill has been acquired.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a pumpuseful in the practice of a method substantially the equivalent of thatclaimed inthe aforesaid application, but which is so devised that nospecial skill is required in priming it or in its operation. A furtherobject is to provide a pump of the above general type having a simpleform of valve at its intake end so as to make unnecessary the stoppingof the intake end of the pump by the user preparatory to the start ofthe pumping operation. Other and further advantages and objects of theinvention will be pointed out in the following more detailed descriptionand by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. l is a sideelevation of the pumping device of the present invention, with partsbroken away, and with the delivery end in diametrical section;

Fig. 2 is a diametrical section through the intake portion of thepumpingdevice to larger scale than Fig. '1 and showing the valve and itsseat;

Fig. 3 is a section, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, through the delivery endof the device, but to larger scale than Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic transverse section through a small boatfloating upon a body of water, and showing how the pumping device of thepresent invention may be employed in pumping out the boat; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view to somewhat larger scale than Fig. 4,showing how the handle of the pump may be grasped in the performance ofthe pumping operation.

Referring to the drawings, the character P indicates the pump as awhole, this pump consisting of a length of tubing whose mid-portion 20at least is flexible. This mid-portion may be a length of ordinarygarden hose, although a more flexible, lighter weight tubing such ascommercial neoprene tubing is preferable. However,

tates atent other types of flexible tubing may be employed, providing itbe such as will not collapse due to atmospheric pressure during thepumping operation.

The delivery end or nozzle portion 22 of the pumping device is madestiff enough to serve as a handle. As here shown, it comprises a pieceof thin-walled but rigid tubing 22, having its end portion 23 fittedwithin one end 20a of the flexible tubing 20, and secured theretoleak-tight in any suitable manner, for example, by the employment of aWaterproof cement. This length of tubing 22 may be, for example, ofcorrosion resistant metal, or a synthetic plastic, and is freely openthrough out its entire length. For example, this nozzle portion may be apiece of hard brass tubing approximately twelve inches long and of anoutside diameter at the end 23 which is fitted within the end of thehose of a size such that the hose must be slightly expanded inintroducing the nozzle tube into the hose. If desired, an appropriateadhesive may be introduced between the nozzle and hose in order toinsure against their separation during use.

I Since commercial garden hose, which may be employed as the flexibletubing 20, has an internal diameter of approximately of an inch, theoutside diameter of the nozzle tube may exceed the internal diameter ofthe hose, for example, by a little less than ,4 of an inch, so that thetube (of circular transverse section as initially provided) may be of anoutside diameter of approximately of an inch. However, if the flexibletubing be of a diiferent internal diameter, the nozzle tube will becorrespondingly chosen as to size. To avoid undue weight, it isdesirable, if it be of metal, to use tubing having a wall thickness ofthe order of 0.025 inch. Other materials may be used if preferred, forexample, copper, anodized aluminum, stainless steel or hard syntheticplastic, it being desirable in any event to employ some material whichis not readily subject to corrosion. For making the nozzle, atwelve-inch length of metal tubing, which is initially of circulartransverse section has been found useful. As suggested in the aforesaidcopending application, this tubing is flattened, except for a shortportion, for example, two inches in length, at the end 23 which is to beinserted in the hose. Beginning at approximately two inches from the end23, the tubing is flattened gradually so that at its extreme end 24(which is the delivery end of the nozzle) its cross section is that ofan ellipse having its major axis approximately one inch in length andits minor axis approximately of an inch in length. In thus flatteningthe metal tubing, it is caused gradually to change from the circularform at the end 23 to the elliptical form at the end 23 to theelliptical form at the end 24 by the proper application of pressure. Toinsure that the change in shape will be gradual and that the walls willbe smooth and without re-entrant portions, a yieldable filler, such asis commonly employed in bending metal pipe, may be inserted during theflattening operation, and the flattening may be accomplished by the useof suitably shaped rigid dies.

While a delivery orifice of the shape and dimensions above suggested isdesirable, it is within the purview of the invention to flatten thedelivery end of the tube more or less. This flattening is merely for thepurpose 'of making it easier to oscillate the nozzle While immersed inwater, as will hereinafter be described. Obviously, the flatter thedischarge end of the tube, the more readily the nozzle may be swungthrough the water (in the plane of the major axis of the ellipse). Whilethe side edges of the nozzle could be sharply acute, the practicalarrangement is such that at the ends of the major axis of the ellipse,the wall of the tube is curved to a small radius; Although, for ease inoscillating the tube in the water, the delivery end of the tube shouldbe flattened, undue flattening results in reducing the delivery capacityof the nozzle. The end portion 24 of the tubing 22 constitutes adelivery nozzle, while the tubing 22 itself constitutes a handle bymeans of which the pump is manually actuated. v g

The intake portion 26,013 the pumping device is als here shown, by way.of example, as comprising a length 27 .of rigid tubing having one end28 fitting over the other end 20b of the flexible portion 20 of thepumping device and secured therein leak-tight, for example, by means ofsuitable cement. Within the opposite or free end 29 of this length 27 oftubing, there is fitted leak-tight a short sleeve member 30 of aninternal diameter substantially like that of the tubing 20. The tubing27 and sleeve 29 provide a housing defining a chamber 32, the upper edgeof sleeve 29 constituting an annular valve seat which defines a centralinlet orifice 34. A flexible flap valve 35 is arranged within thechamber 32 above the seat, and as here shown, is secured at one side tothe upper surface of the seat by. cement 36. This flap valve may be ofsheet rubber, or similar resiliently flexible material, and normallytends to rest upon the seat, as shown in Fig. 2, thus preventing liquidfrom escaping downwardly through the inlet orifice 34. While the housinghere shown is desirable, since it provides ample space for. the valveWithout seriously restricting the size of the inlet orifice 34, thisparticular shape or construction is not an essential feature of theinvention.

' Merely by way of example, but without limitation, the length of theflexible tubing 20 may be of the order of eighteen inches, and thelength of the handle, or delivery portion 22, of the order of twelveinches. However, these lengths are merely such as have been founddesirable in making the device convenient for use in bailing out a smallboat, but it is to be understood that these dimensions may be varied asmay be found desirable.

In the operation of this device, it is first necessary to prime thepump, that is to say, to establish, within the tubing, a solid column ofwater, substantially free from air, extending from the intake end of thetubing, at least through the major part of the length of the flexibleportion of the tubing and preferably to the end of the delivery nozzle.This priming of the pump may he accomplished by following the sameprocedure as is described in the aforesaid co-pending application, thatis to say by immersing the entire device in the water outside of theboat and then reciprocating it lengthwise until it is completely filledwith water and all air has been expelled. Because of the presence of thevalve, it is not necessary to close the inlet with the finger whenpriming the pump as is described in the aforesaid application, and thusless skillis required in the operation of pumping. Obviously, water forpriming the pump may be introduced into the tubing in other ways, forinstance by pouring water into the delivery opening at the end of thenozzle while the nozzle is held upright, or by forcing water into theintake end. Having primed the pump, it may be manipulated for pumping inexactly the same way as is described in the aforesaid application,although because of the valve, it is not so essential to hold thedelivery end of the nozzle below the surface of the water in the initialstages of the operation, or when pumping slowly. Thus in using the pumphere disclosed, it is preferred, after having.

primed the pump, to keep the nozzle end directed upwardly so that nowater will spill out, and the inlet end 26 is placed in the bilge waterB in theboat S, the parts then being as illustrated in Fig. 4 with thenozzle 24 directed upwardly. Preferably, to facilitate the initiation ofthe pumping operation the operator then quickly swings the handledownwardly to some such position as indicated at 22b in Fig. 4, wherethe delivery nozzle 25 is near the surface of the water W, and thenrapidly swings the handle portion in a wide are, for example, as shownat K, Fig. 5. If the angular velocity of oscillation of the handleportion be sufliciently rapid, the column of water within the flowpassage will be discharged by centrifugal action from the deliverynozzle with the result that atmospheric pressure will cause water toenter the chamber 32. Continued oscillation of the handle will nowmaintain an uninterrupted stream discharging from the delivery nozzle sothat the bilge water B within the boat is soon pumped out. It will benoted that, as contrasted with a reciprocating pump, in which much ofthe force exerted is expended in friction in moving the piston up anddown, and wherein only in the upstroke does any actual lifting of. watertake place, the pump of the present invention wastes no power inmechanicalfriction, while the discharge of water is continuous and notintermittent. Thus,

the labor of pumping out a boat is substantially less than that by theuse of an ordinary reciprocating pump, and the pumping operation takesmuch less time than with the usual hand-operated pumps.

Since the pump consists of lengths of tubing united end-to-end, the flowpassage is continuous and the only movable internal part is the flapvalve 35 at the intake end. Moreover, throughout its entire length theflow passage is symmetrical in transverse section and the peripheralwall of the fiow passage is wholly devoid of openings through whichfluid could pass either inwardly or outwardly. While, as above noted,the pump herein described is primarily intended as a boat pump, it isobvious that it may be useful for pumping water from any body of water,or for pumping other liquids than water, or, in fact, for pumping anyfluent material. Since, as above noted, the flattening of the nozzletube is merely to lessen resistance to motion of the nozzle whenimmersed in liquid, such flattening may obviously be dis pensed with if,during the pumping operation, the nozzle end is to be held above thewater surface.

While one desirable embodiment of the invention'has herein beendisclosed by way of example, together with desirable modes of practicingthe method it is to be understood that the invention is broadlyinclusive of any and all modifications falling within the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A portable low-lift pump having a manually actuatable handle and inwhich the pumping action results from a pronounced transverse swingingmovement of the pump handle in any one plane, said pump comprising, incombination, a rigid, hollow foot having a substantially cylindricalopen upper end, said foot, when the pump is in use, being immersed inthe liquid to be pumped, the lower end of the foot having an openingforming the intake of the pump, an upwardly opening check valve housedin said foot and which opens in response to upward pressure of liquidthereagainst, but which closes automatically to prevent movement ofliquid downwardly through the inlet, said foot having an opening at itsupper end, a flexible tubing having one end thereof secured leak-tightto the foot in coaxial relation to the opening at the upper end of thefoot, the internal diameter of the flexible tubing approximating thediameter of the opening at the upper end of the foot, the flexibletubing having substantial length for enabling the pronounced swingingmovement, said flexible tubing having a rigid discharge nozzle attachedto the opposite free end thereof, said nozzle being of a shape and sizesuch asto constitute the handle, whereby the pronounced transverseswinging movement of the handle in any one plane imparts a similarmotion to the nozzle and to the adjacent portion of the flexible tubingand thereby produces a low-lift suction effect such as to cause theinduction of liquid into the intake and unidirectional flow of theliquid upwardly past the check valve and into and through the flexibletubing and its discharge from the nozzle.

2. A portable 'low lift pump according to claim 1, wherein the majorportion of the length of the combined nozzle and handle is approximatelyelliptical in transverse section whereby, by holding the nozzle with themajor 3 15 Of its elliptical section in said one plane of oscillation,the resistance of the ambient medium to rapid oscillation of the nozzleis minimized.

3. A portable low lift pump according to claim 2, wherein said nozzleand handle have a length in the order of 12" and the combined nozzle andhandle comprises a 5 unitary piece of stiff metal tubing, said tubinghaving a wall thickness of approximately 0.025, whereby said pump ismade light and portable and easily operable.

References Cited in the file of this patent 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS 6Fonlois Aug. 9, 1898 Spencer Feb. 18, 1913 Saa Dec. 8, 1925 ThompsonFeb. 8, 1944 Stephens Nov. 11, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Denmark July 14,1917 Germany May 24, 1901 Germany Dec. 17, 1927 Germany Nov. 25, 1929Italy Feb. 16, 1955 Germany Aug. 16, 1956

